syscalls/mount0* and inotify03 tests are getting skipped from runltp

I tried to run syscalls test with ./runltp -f syscalls, it's found that the below tests
are getting skipped from the run,
-----------
inotify03 inotify03 -D DEVICE -T DEVICE_FS_TYPE
mount01 mount01 -D DEVICE -T DEVICE_FS_TYPE
mount02 mount02 -D DEVICE -T DEVICE_FS_TYPE
mount03 mount03 -D DEVICE -T DEVICE_FS_TYPE
mount04 mount04 -D DEVICE -T DEVICE_FS_TYPE
umount01 umount01 -D DEVICE -T DEVICE_FS_TYPE
umount02 umount02 -D DEVICE -T DEVICE_FS_TYPE
umount03 umount03 -D DEVICE -T DEVICE_FS_TYPE
-----------

I didn't get the value of DEVICE & DEVICE_FS_TYPE in any of conf files and also, as
the tests expect a block device, I executed the tests by specifying a block device
(-D /dev/sda1 -T ext4), tests passed.

Also,as the DEVICE & DEVICE_FS_TYPE need to be explicitly specifed to all the tests,
these tests should be commented out in ltp/runtest/syscalls which is used by runltp.

Any comments on this issue are appreciated.

Quoted 6 lines

The runtest files are processed before they are executed. See -b DEVICE and -B DEVICE_FS_TYPE runltp parameters.

The current runltp script is more of the hack than solution. I've send a RFC email with a description of planned successor to the LTP mailing list not that long ago (but I haven't started writing the code yet).

Thanks Cyril !

I got it from runltp --usage, then I tried to execute the tests by passing -b DEVICE and -B DEVICE_FS_TYPE to runltp but it failed with the below error,

---
sed: can't read : No such file or directory
FATAL: error during processing alltests file by sed
---

I went through the runltp script to see the cause for this error and found that
the below substitution by sed leading to the error.

Quoted 1 line

Quoted 1 line

sed -i "" -e "s|DEVICE_FS_TYPE|$DEVICE_FS_TYPE|" ${TMP}/alltests

Here, I don't see any reason why the -e is used with sed as we are not performing
sed operation on multiple expressions.

I just removed -e option and ran the tests, tests were successfully executed.

<patch snippet>

runltp 2013-03-27 14:39:59.322856566 +0530 renamed from runltp_org 2013-03-27 14:40:12.029836439 +0530 +1 -1

@@ -719,7 +719,7 @@ main()
      fi
 
      if [ -n "$DEVICE" ]; then
-        sed -i "" -e "s|DEVICE_FS_TYPE|$DEVICE_FS_TYPE|"  ${TMP}/alltests
+        sed -i "s|DEVICE_FS_TYPE|$DEVICE_FS_TYPE|"  ${TMP}/alltests
      fi
 
      if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then

Please le me know if the removal of -e is a better solution for the issue or is it really
required for any other advantages.

I would like to share a work around which I have tried to make the tests to run
by default when -b and -B arguments are not specified.Please share your thoughts
on this and also let me know if there is any disadvantage in using a loop device
as I have made use of it in my changes. Also, suggest me an alternate way to use
this work around if the changes in runltp is not a better idea.

Here is the work around that I tried,

+++ runltp 2013-04-02 16:42:47.836836402 +0530

(quoted diff) +19 -2

+            else
+                ##attach the created file to loop dev.
+                losetup $LOOP_DEV ${TMP}/test.img &>/dev/null
+                if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
+                     echo "losetup failed to create block device"
+                     exit 1
+                else
+                    ##format the block dev with ext4 filesystem.
+                    mkfs.ext4 $LOOP_DEV &>/dev/null
+                    #set the values in alltests which require block device.
+                     DEVICE=$LOOP_DEV
+                     DEVICE_FS_TYPE="ext4"
+                    sed -i "s|DEVICE|$DEVICE|"  ${TMP}/alltests
+                     RC=$?
+                fi
+            fi
+          fi
      fi
 
-    if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
+    if [ $RC -ne 0 ]; then
              echo "FATAL: error during prcessing alltests file by sed"
              exit 1
      fi
-
+
      if [ -n "$DEVICE" ]; then
          mnt_pnt=`mktemp -d "${TMP}/mnt_pnt.XXXXXX"`
          if [ -n "$DEVICE_FS_TYPE" ]; then

  ltp-full-20130109/runltp |   48 
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++---
  1 files changed, 44 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)

ltp-full-20130109/runltp +1 -1

index 04cc690..f0f0c95 100755
@@ -681,13 +681,20 @@ main()
 
      if [ -n "$DEVICE" ]; then
          sed -i "s|DEVICE|$DEVICE|"  ${TMP}/alltests
+    RC=$?
      else
-        echo "remove test cases which require the block device."

ltp-full-20130109/runltp +6 -0

+        return 1
+    else
+        ##search for an unused loop dev
+        LOOP_DEV=$(losetup -f)
+        if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
+            echo "no unused loop device is found"

ltp-full-20130109/runltp +11 -0

+                #set the values in alltests which require block device.
+                DEVICE=$LOOP_DEV
+                DEVICE_FS_TYPE="ext4"
+                return 0
+            fi
+        fi
+    fi
+}
+
  cleanup()
  {
+    [ -e "${TEMP}/test.img" ] && rm -f ${TEMP}/test.img
+    [ "$LOOP_DEV" ] && losetup -d $LOOP_DEV
      rm -rf ${TMP}
  }